Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c13.331

v2.c13.331

The commentary explains Jaṇṇupatha (25) as the way where one has to crawl on knees. On Saṅkupatha (28) it gives a long explanatory note, describing the means by which a man could ascend a mountain. An iron hook, attached to a rope of skin, is thrown up till the hook is fixed up in the mountain. Having climbed up the rope, the man makes a hole on the hillside with a diamond-tipped iron instrument, and fixes a spear. Having caught hold of this, he detaches the hook, and throws it aloft again, till it is again fixed up in the mountain. Then he ties the rope to the spear, and having caught hold of the rope with one hand, strikes it by a hammer with the other till the spear is detached. Then he climbs up again, again fixes the spear, and repeats the process till he ascends the top of the hill.